Kyneton trainer Neil Dyer and his tough gelding Hawks Bay have found a home away from home in Darwin.  

And their winning run in the Northern Territory continued when Hawks Bay defeated Bolton and stablemate Palmyra Boy in the Metric Mile at Fannie Bay on Saturday.

Hawks Bay (5g Black Hawk – La Belle Coquette by Bellotto) first arrived at the Top End in 2009 to win the Darwin Guineas and NT Derby.  He just missed completing the Triple Crown in the 2009 Darwin Cup and he went even closer when beaten a short-head by Shout Out Loud in the 2010 Darwin Cup.

It could be a case of third time lucky when Dyer saddles up Hawks Bay in the Darwin Cup (2000m) on August 1.

Hawks Bay is a homebred for Robyne Blee and Mike Deacon.  He was a Tatura maiden winner in December 2008 and, apart from his Darwin triumphs, has won in town at Flemington, Caulfield and Mornington.

Dyer has also poached country cups with him at Wangaratta and Murray Bridge.

Hawks Bay is by former Eliza Park resident Black Hawk who shuttled from Japan for six seasons.  He is the last of 7 winners for La Belle Coquette who died in September 2007.

Hawks Bay and Palmyra Boy will give Dyer a strong hand in the $175,000 Darwin Cup on Monday week.  

Palmyra Boy (Mujahid) had won the 2009 and 2010 Metric Miles and he was favoured to make it a hat-trick on Saturday after recent wins in the ROANT Cup and Chief Minister’s Cup.